Zigzag sewing machine attachment



March 20, 1951 A. GELLMAN ET AL ZIGZAG SEWING MACHINE ATTACHMENT 4Sheet-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 4, 1948 5 m w m 0 i N mp R ma m Vhw T man anMarch 20, 1951 A. GELLMAN ET AL 2,545,658

ZIGZAG SEWING MACHINE ATTACHMENT Filed Feb. 4, 1948 4 Sheets-Sheet 2fidney Diesen/zauo March 20, 1951 T A. GELLMAN ET AL 2,545,658

ZIGZAG SEWING MACHINE ATTACHMENT Filed Feb. 4, 1948 4 Shets-Sheet 3 1 E.9 '1 H6 /00 IO lZO s 212 GeZZman z'dney ,Diesenhaus March 20, 1951 A.GELLMAN ET AL 2,545,658

ZIGZAG SEWING MACHINE ATTACHMENT Filed Feb. 4, 1948 4 Sheets-Sheet 4.flkrcw'y r ggellman Sidney .Dwsenhaus 'ATTORNEY 7 Patented Mar. 20,1951 .1:

255,652} ZIGZAG SEWING MACHINE ATTACHMENT Abraham Gel lman, New York,and Sidney Diesenhaus, Monsey, N. Y., assignors to Abe Gellman' &Company, New York,

New York r N. Y., a corporation of ;Application February 4, 1948, SerialNo.:6,l2 8 V tdsewing machines and i a wide variety of patterns. It isanother object the invention to provide an attachment for so'coiitrollingvthe operation of such a machine as to .P-Ql'm variouspatterns to be sewed either with drf-withoutafiller thread. It is afurther object Zpfthe invention to maintain a predetermined butadjustable'relation between the movement of the needle bar of such amachine and movement of a filIer thread in sewingsuch patterns. It isstill another object of the invention to provide an at- 'tachinent fora'zigzag sewing machine to cause ,the machine to sew a zigzag stitch inan undulating-pattern. It is a still further objectfof the invention toprovide an attachment of thistype that canbeieasily'adjusted to varysuch variables as the width of the zigzag stitch and the .shape,amplitude andfreduency of -the un'dula tions of the .undulat in 'gpatterns Other objects .of the invention will be in part obvious and inpart pointed. outhereafter.

tures af construction, combinationsof elements darrangement of parts aswill beexemplified ,in the structure to behereinafter described, and

-:1'zhe $00pe'of the application of which will be indicated in thefollowing claims. W p r The many objects and advantages of thepres- 'entinvention may best be understood and appreciated by'reference to theaccompanying drawingswhich show apparatus incorporatingaprefe'rreitiembodim'ent of the invention and Whereini 1 Figure 1 is aside elevation view of a conventtional zigzag sewing machine having anattachment incorporating the present invention mounted in operativeposition thereon; l

. Figure 2 is a top plan view of a portion of the structure taken onthe'line 22 as shown in Figure Figure 3 is asectiontaken on the line 33of Figure 1 and showing the cross-headand the '*manner in which thedifierent links are connected thereto; I I} s i 'eewne i n mine-111164 ohe invention accordingly consists in the feaibetween the presser footand throat plate.

. The I end of arm 26 that extends through ln ackets 21 and 28 is fixedto a lever 34, the upper Figure 1 showing themounting of the fillerthread feed nozzle and its relationship to the needle bar; Figures 5 and5a show respectivelya particular cam construction adapted to be. used inthe present attachment and the stitch pattern that is produced when thiscam structure is employed Y Figures 6 to 9 and 6a to-9a showrespectively various modified cam structures and the corfrespondingstitch patterns that are produced hen such cam-constructions are used inthe present attachment. 1 Similar reference characters refer to similarparts throughout the several views of the draw- -Referring initially toFigures 1 and 4, the nu 'meral' l0 designates the main frame of aconventional zigzag sewing machine which, as best shown in- Figure 4,supports a conventional presser foot l2 mounted on a presser foot bar 13and adapted to cooperate in the usual manner with a throat plate M andfeed-dog's [6 to cause the material to be sewed to pass A needle bar i8carrying the needle 20 is mounted in the usual manner on the frame lfifor oscillationperpendicular to the direction of movement -'-of thematerial tobe sewed to cause the machine to produce a zigzag stitch.Mounted adjacent. to presser foot l2 there is a filler thread feednozzle 22 through which the filler thread 24 is fed. The nozz1e22 isfixed to a ill-shaped arm 26 which (see Fig. 1) is rotatably isupportedina pair of brackets 21 .and 28 on the ifiller thread ,bar. 3.6.. Thearm 26 passes through and fixed to arm 26 by set screw 3! in such man;-

;n'erthatarm 26 can rotate in the brackets but :cannot move transverselythereof. The bar 3D-i s pivotally mounted on the frame If] at 32.

end of which is connected by a spring 36 to the bar 30 .The constructionis such that thespri ng 36urges arm 26 and lever 34in acounterclockiwisedirection (as shown in Fig. 4). The rotation .lof farm28 and lever 35 under the influence of spring 36 .is' limited by a screw38 which is :threaded' through lever34 and bears .againstthe bar 310.The position of filler thread'feed nozzle :22 with respect to presserfoot. l2 and needle 2O 'can be adjusted by adjustment of thejscrew. 38.LIn. itslowermostposition, arm 26 bears against ;a rod it supported in abracket 42 on the press'er {foot bar, l3,-and'tl 1us as the presser footbar-{and 3 presser foot l2 are raised, the feed nozzle 22 is also raisedagainst the action of spring 36.

The filler thread is supplied in the usual manner from a filler threadtake-up 33 mounted on the frame It and passes through tension discs 35to the nozzle 22.

The mechanism now to be described produces a controlled movement of theneedle bar I8 and filler thread feed nozzle 22 to cause the machine tosew a zigzag stitch in an undulating pattern. The needle bar I8 is givena relatively rapid scillatory movement of relatively small magnitudesubstantially perpendicular to the direction of movement of the materialto be sewed to cause the machine to sew a zigza stitch, and there issuperposed on this rapid oscillatory movement a slower transversemovement of larger magnitude to produce the desired undulatory pattern.The filler thread feed nozzle 22 is likewise given a rapid oscillatorymovement which is substantial- 1y perpendicular to the direction ofmovement of the materiaLand which corresponds to the rapid movement ofthe needle bar I8 but is 180 out of phase therewith and is of somewhatgreater amplitude than the movement of the needle bar.

superposed on this rapid oscillation of the nozzle 22, there is arelatively slower movement of larger amplitude that corresponds with andis in phase with the slower movement of the needle bar I8. Thesecombined movements cause the machin to sew a filled zigzag stitch in anundulating pattern.

Referring now to Figure 2, power to operate the mechanism of the presentattachment is taken from a power or transverse shaft 46 which is a partof a conventional sewing machine. Near one of its ends the shaft 46 isprovided with an eccentric 48 having a bearing surface that cooperateswith a. similar surface of a bearing ring 50 of. a link 52. Theconstruction is such that the rotation of shaft 46 causes eccentric 48to rctate to give link 52 a relatively rapid horizontal reciprocatorymotion. The shaft 46 normally rotates revolution per stitch. Theamplitude of the movement of link 52 may be adjusted by :changing theeccentricity of eccentric 48 in known manner.

Referrin now to Figure 3 of the drawings, .the link 52 is provided atits other end with a bearin ring 54 that cooperates with afrustospherical bearing 56 of a cross-head generally designated as 58.The cross-head 58 includes a shaft 60 rotatably mounted in the arms BIand 62 of a U-shaped bracket 63, and adapted to oscillate about asubstantially vertical axis; a bearing support 64 fixed to shaft 66between the arms 6! and'62 by a set screw 66, and supporting the bearing56; and a block 68 fixed to the bottom of shaft 60. The reciprocatorymovement of link 52 is transmitted through bearing support 64 to shaft66 to cause the shaft to oscillate about its axis.

.The block 68 is internally bored to receive a ratio rod III that isheld in place with respect to block 68 by a set screw I2 in such mannerthat the position of the rod III with respect to block 68 may beadjusted. At its opposite ends the ratio rod I0 is provided with thefrustospherical bearings I4 and 16 that cooperate respectively with thebearing rings-18 and 80 of the .links 82 and 84 respectively. As shownin Figure 2 and l, the link 82 is connected to the filler connected tothe needle bar I8 through bearing ring 96 and frusto-spherical bearin92.

As pointed out above the link 52 is given a reciprocatory motion by theeccentric 48 and this motion of link 52 causes the cross-head 58 tooscillate, about a vertical axis. The ratio rod 10 which is fixed tocross-head 58 is given an oscillatory movement in a horizontal plane,and this oscillatory movement is transmitted through links 82 and 84 tothe filler thread bar 30 and needle'barv I8 respectively. Thus thefiller thread nozzle 22 and needle 2|] are simultaneously oscillated ata relatively rapid rate but in opposite sense. The relative magnitude ofthe movement of the filler thread and the needle is determined by theposition of ratio rod I0 with respect to block 68 and may be adjusted bymeans of set frusto-spherical bearing 88, and the link 84 is 'k screwI2, Ordinarily the rod I0 is so positioned with respect to block Bil-asto give the filler thread nozzle a movement of substantially greateramplitude'than that of the needle 20. Referring again to Figure 3,.thecross-head 58 is oscillatable not only around a vertical axis but alsoaround a horizontal axis. The bracket 63 is secured by a pin 94 to ashaft 96 that passes through and is rotatably supported in a supportingplate 98 and a journal bearing 99 fixed to the plate 98. A spacingcollar 91 is provided on shaft 96 between plate 98 and bracket 63 tomain tain proper spacing of the bracket and plate.

The plate 98 is mounted on the main frame I0. in any suitable mannersuch as, by the stud bolts I96. Referring toFigure 2, the bolts I00 maybe, for example, the. bolts that in a conventional machine support the.presser foot lever I02, and the plate 98 may be spaced from the lever102 by the spacer. nuts I04. j The shaft 96 is iven a relatively slowcontrolled oscillatory movement by a mechanism now to be described, andthi oscillation of shaft 96 is transmitted to cross-head 58 and, throughratio rod ID, to the needle bar. I8 and filler thread feed nozzle 22.Thus the movement of the needle bar and filler thread feed'bar producedby'movement of shaft 96 is effectively'superposed on the rapidoscillatory movementpreviously described. The slow movement is appliedin the same sense to 'boththe needle bar and filler thread bar.

' Still referrin to Figure 2, the power shaft 45 extends through plate98 andis provided beyond the plate with a pinion I96 which, through areducing gear train generally designated as I08,

drives a cam III) mounted for rotation on plate 98. The cam III) (seeFig. 1) is provided with a track: H2 that cooperates with acam followerI I4 on a cam follower lever I I6-pivotally mounted on plate 98. The camfollower lever H6 has a slot H8 through which-it is connected by meansof a boltI2Il with the slot I22iofalever I24. The arrangement is suchthat the relationship between levers I I6. and I24 may be. varied.asdersired by adjustment of bolt I20 in slots H8 and Referring toFigured as .wellas to Figure l, the lever I24 is fixed. by screws I26 toa cap I28 which is in turn fixed to the end of shaft 96by the set screwI36. I The. cap 128 abuts the end of bearing 99 and'thus. prevents axialmovement of shaft 96. Thus oscillatory motion of cam fol.- lower II 4produced by rotation of cam I I0; causes the shaft 96 to oscillate in.a. controlled manner and'this oscillation of shaft-96 istransmitted tothe cross-head 58. 7' The operation. of the attachment Of: the presentinvention should be largely apparent from the 5 roee bing descriptionthereof. Referring to Figure--2-the power shaft 46 rotates at arelatively 'i'apld rate to produce relatively rapid reciprocatory motionof the link 52. This rapid oscillation of link 52- is transmittedthrough crosshead 58 to the links 82 and 84 and thus produces rapidoscillationof the filler thread and needle bar respectively. Themovement of the filler thread and needle is in opposite sense and thefiller" thread moves a substantially'greater distancethanthe needle.

superposed on this relatively rapid oscillation ofthe needle and fillerthread, there is .a' slower reciprocatorymovement" The power shaft. 45throughpinion 06 and reduction gearing IE8 drives cam H at a relativelyslow rate. .Referringito' Figure 1 the track IIZ-Iof cam H0. causestheifollower I l4 and lever M6 to move. inla controlled manner.-.Motionof lever l 16 is transmittedto lever I24 and thence by shaft 516 tothebracket and cross-head 58. Thus the cam. H0 and its followerH'kcooperate to produce a relatively slow oscillation of the cross -head58 about -a--. horizontal axis, and this slow oscillation is:transmitted to both the filler thread. and needle inethe same sense.The-resultant motion of the needle, and filler. thread causes, themachine to Isew-av filled zigzag stitch in anundulating pattern..

..The,.ch,aracter of the pattern that issewed may be varied by varyingthe construction of ,the cam MB. Figures5-9 show various camtrackconstructions and Figures Zia-9a show respectively. the patterns'thatare obtained with the several cams shown in Figures 5- 9. -It willbeapparent that a wide variety of patterns can be achieved with t; presentapparatus. v t

I Certainof the characteristics of the pattern may be changed withoutmodifying the construction of the cam or substituting a, different camstructure. For example, the frequency of recurrence of the pattern for agiven machine. speed may be varied by substituting for the pinion Hit apinion having a different number of teeth. Also the amplitude of thepattern may be varied by adjusting the bolt 20 in the slots l l8, and ,j22 to vary the relationship between lever I Hi and lever I24. Theamplitude of-the pattern may be reducedjto zero, i. e; the cam may bemade inoperative, by moving bolt L20 until it registers with thelaxis oflever IIB. In order to preserve "the symmetry of the pattern and of theoperation of the needle, this adjustment should be made when the needleis in its central position, and the parts are so positioned that theneedle is in its central position when the levers H6 and H8 are inalignment. The ratio of filler thread movement to amplitude of thezigzag stitch may be varied by adjustment of ratio bar H! in block 68 ofthe cross-head 58, and the amplitude of the zigzag stitchmay beadjusted, and also reduced to zero, by changing the eccentricity ofeccentric 48.

From the foregoing description it is apparent that the present structurepermits attainment of the several objectives referred to above. Theattachment may be easily applied to a conventional zigzag sewing machineand when so applied is capable of controlling the operation of themachine to produce a wide variety of patterns.

' It is, of course, to be understood that the foregoing description isillustrative only and that various modifications may be made within thescope of the invention. The attachment is particularly useful in itsapplication to zigzag ma,- chines and has been described as applied tosuch a 'machine,'although it is'ev'ident' that the at tachment'may alsobe used with machines other than zigzag machines. Also the filler threadand its control-mechanism may be omitted and an unfilled zigzag stitchproduced in accordance with a predetermined pattern; The cam Hi! is,

-in'effect, a template and other types of templates may be substitutedtherefor, I

zontal axis arranged at right angles with respect .needle bar theoscillations of said cross-head about both said vertical and horizontalaxes to cause said machine to sew zigzag stitching in-a pattern bearinga predetermined relation to sai predetermined pattern of said cam. a 2.An attachment for a sewing machine'having .a transverse shaft and aneedle bar mounted for lateral oscillation by said shaft to cause saidma- .chine to sew zigzagstitching, said attachment comprising a crosshead mounted-for rotative osfhead about said verticalaxis, a cam havinga predetermined pattern, linkage mechanism conn'ected to saidcross-headand having a cam follower cooperating with said cam to cause oscillationof said cross-head about said horizontal axis to be controlled by saidcam, driving mechanism causing said cam to oscillate said cross-headabout said horizontal axis, and further linkage mechanism connected tosaid cross-head and to said needle bar to transmit to said needle barthe oscillations of said cross-head about both said vertical andhorizontal axes to cause said machine to sew zigzag stitching in apattern bearing a predetermined relation to the configuration of saidcam.

3. An attachment for a sewing machine having transverse shaft andaneedle bar mounted for lateral oscillation to cause said machine to sewzigzag stitching and having filler thread feeding means mounted thereon,said attachment comprising a cross-head mounted for rotative oscilla-.tion about a vertical axis and about a horizontal axis arranged at rightangles with respect to one another, driving mechanism actuated by saidtransverse shaft for oscillating said crossrhead about said verticalaxis, a cam having a predetermined pattern; linkage mechanism initherear ofsaid sewing machine interconnecting said cam and said cross-headto cause the oscillations of said cross-head about said horizontal axisto be controlled. by said cam, linkage mechanism in the front of saidmachine connected to said cross-head and to said needle bar to transmitto said needle bar oscillations of said cross-head about both saidverticaland horizontal axes to cause said machine to sew zigzagstitching in a pattern that bears a predetermined relation to saidpredetermined pattern of said cam, and further linkage mechanism in therear of said sewing machine connected to said cross-head'and to saidfiller thread feeding means to transmit 'to said lfill'er thread feedingmeans oscillations of said fcross-head to cause said filler threadfeeding means'to rnove in predetermined relation tothe movement'of saidneedle bar.

a 4, Apparatus as defined in claim 3, wherein said cross-head includes aratio rod swingable about said vertical axis and said needle bar linkageand said filler thread linkage mechanisms are connected to-opposite endsof said ratio rod.

5. Apparatus as defined in claim 3, wherein said oross-head includes aratio rod swingable about said vertical axis and said needle bar.linkage and said filler thread linkage mechanisms are connected tooppositeends of said ratio rod, and said ratio rod is adjustable toadjust therela- .tionship between movement of said needle bar andmovement of said filler. thread feeding means.

6. An attachment for asewing machine having a transverse shaft and aneedle bar mounted for lateral oscillation to cause said machine to sewzigzag stitching and having filler thread feeding means mounted thereon,said attachment vcomprising a cross-head mounted for rotativeoscillation about a vertical axis and about a horizontal axis arrangedat right angles with respect to one another, driving mechanism actuatedby said transverse shaft for oscillating said cross-head about saidvertical axis, a cam, linkage mechanism connected to said cross-head andhaving a cam follower cooperating with said cam to cause said cam tocontrol oscillations of said cross-head about said horizontal am's,driving means for driving said cam to oscillate said crosshead aboutsaid horizontal axis, linkage mechanismin the front of said machine andconnected to said cross-head and vto said needle bar to transmit to saidneedle bar oscillationsof said crossh'eadabout bothsaid vertical andhorizcntalaxes to cause-said machine to sew zigzagfstitchingin a patternbearing a predetermined relation to the configuration of said cam, andlinkage mechanism in the rear of said machine and connected to saidcross-head and to saidfiller thread feed-: ing means to transmit to saidfeeding means 05: cillations of said cross-head to cause said fillerthread feeding means to move in predetermined relation to the movementof said needle bar. .i

7. Apparatus as defined inpclaim' 6, wherein said cross-head includesaratio rod swingable about said vertical axis and said needle bar linkage and said filler thread linkage mechanisms are connected tooppositeends of said ratio rod.

'8: Apparatus asdefinedin claim 6, wherein said cross-head includes aratio rod swingable about said vertical axis and said needle barlininage and said'filler thread linkage mechanisms are .connected'toopposite'end's-of said ratio rod,and said ratio rod is adjustable. toadjust therelatiorr-i ship between movement of said needle bar andmovement of said filler thread feeding means. 9. An attachment for asewing machine haviing a needle bar mounted for lateral oscillation tocause said machine to sew zigzag stitching, said attachment comprising acam, a cam follower cooperating with said cam and including a slottedmember, a linkage mechanism including a-fur ther slotted memberconnected to the slotted member of said cam, said further slotted memberbeing connected to said needle bar, means for oscillating said needlebarto cause said machine to sew zigzag stitching, and driving mechanism fordriving said cam to cause said linkage mecha nism and needle bar to bemoved'by said cam and thereby cause said machine to sew Zi -zagstitching in a pattern conforming with the configuration of saidearn,the connection between said two slotted members being adjustable to' a'djust the width of said pattern. ABRAHAM GELLMAN. If;

SIDNEY ,DIESENHAUSJ":

REFERENCES CITED UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Sigoda Dec. 19,194;

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